References normally consist of asking the previous landlord how long your tenancy was for, whether you paid your rent on time, whether you kept the property in good condition and whether they would rent to you again. Employment details would also be checked to ensure that you are in employment, that your employment is permanent and that you are earning enough money to cover the rent.

You are also credit checked and this will check for any CCJs, bankruptcy, IVAs and how long you have been at your current & previous addresses (using the electoral roll - so it is important to keep this up to date). If anything adverse comes up then you will probably be asked for a guarantor or refused the let, so it may be worth checking your credit report first on Experian etc just so you are prepared.